1.1 Introduction
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The need to do something for recreation is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be fun. Humans spend their time in activities of daily living, work, sleep, social duties, and leisure, the latter time being free from prior commitments to physiologic or social needs, a prerequisite of recreation. Leisure has increased with increased longevity and, for many, with decreased hours spent for physical and economic survival, yet others argue that time pressure has increased for modern people, as they are committed to too many tasks. Other factors that account for an increased role of recreation are affluence, population trends, and increased commercialization of recreational offerings.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Increased population in Nigerian cities has led to the demand for more land spaces for land uses like residential, commercial, public, agricultural and industrial activities at the expense of recreational and open spaces (Ogundele and Jegede, 2011). This has resulted in multiple developments of squatter settlements, ghettos and illegal structures that describe our urban settings and once beautiful cities (Fasakin, 2009, Alabi, 2010 and Aluko, 2011). It is to be noted that this fast growing developments are not accompanied by necessary planning, development designs and physical planning provisions hence, unguided and uncontrolled developments are prevalent (Oluyimi, 2009; Alabi, 2010 and Wald and Hosteller, 2010).
However, these huge drastic planning and developmental oversights cannot de-emphasize the unquantifiable value and need of recreational facilities in our cities today. Recreation is defined as a socially acceptable leisure experience or activity that rests men from work, brings satisfaction often by giving them a change, and restores them for work (Hutchinson and Kleiber, 2005). Okolie (2008) described recreational facilities to provide green places for people to come together promoting communal bonding among city residents and infuses the social content of life.
Economically, He and Jia (2004) noted that parks and private planted areas surrounding buildings have a marked effect on many aspects of the quality of the urban environment and the richness of life in a city. Furthermore, in the residential community, landscape can affect the housing in the surroundings. Similarly, Chiesura (2004) contributed that, the presence of natural areas contributes to the quality of life in many ways and besides many environmental and ecological services, urban nature provide important social and psychological benefits to human societies, which enrich human life with meanings and emotions. Furthermore, Thompson (2002) acknowledged that, access to some form of “nature” is fundamental human need and therefore, a vital part of access to open space and its attendant facilities. In addition, Ahianba et al (2008) emphasized that physical environment is an important component of the environment and it is through that which organism, individual, community or population are in contact. As such, a well landscaped physical environment, also known as the built environment, should be an integral part of the human environment.
Well designed, landscaped and managed recreational centres and open spaces within the neighborhood/environment can offer play areas for children. Communal space and serene environment also contribute to the quality of life and well-being. Planning for recreational areas within human dwellings is an attempt to study human needs, scientific examination of contemporary resources, demographic growth and urban expansion. Planning is not complete without the proper distribution of recreational spaces and proposals for construction of required varied facilities to provide indoor (passive) and outdoor (active) activities which make up balanced programme. The purpose of planning is to promote, extend and make available the necessary areas and physical plants for more perfect administration of public recreational service.
In developing recreational areas, factors for supply and demand are considered. The planner has a major role to play in the supply and resultant effects on landscape and also on recreational habits of the residents in urban areas. This is because leisure is essentially a matter of individual and normally reflected in the wide range of recreational activities open to him. Choice is always conditioned by certain factors such as age, marital status, income, educational background and also the availability of suitable resources and facilities to make proper use of them.
Demand as used by the planner “is the number of persons required to take part in particular recreational activities and hence is manifested in demand for facilities”. This affects the design of various locations. The recreation site has to be designed according to the demand of an area. Design is the search for forms that satisfy a programme (Lynch, 1976). It deals with particular solutions, while the programmes is concerned with general characteristics and destined outcomes. Designs with programming are modified as a design process.
The classification of urban land use is often complicated by the presence of overlapping and multiple use patterns. As a matter of fact recreational land use at times is difficult to be classified as a separate land use since it is incorporated in other land uses. For instance, football pitches and other recreational facilities are incorporated in the institutional land use and other land uses.
However, the development and allocation of recreation land use is facing a lot challenges, owing to the fact that urban area lack sufficient recreational space, facilities and environment in the central business district where the commercial activity dominate the other land use activities.
Facilities and utilities should be provided for public conveniences. These include dustbins, public toilets, canteens, snack bars, drink bars, ice cream stand, suya joints, various field pitches, sculptures, water fountains, picnic tables, rest rooms, recreational spots and benches. Every recreational area should have a well prepared emergency plan. The plan must be specially related to activities provided; for example, size of the park, number of people using the recreational facilities and the proximity of these facilities to the users which depends particularly on the size and type of recreational area.
Therefore, in Akwa Ibom State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Appraisal of Recreation Facilities in Uyo Local Government Area.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that Uyo is quickly turning into a fast growing mega city. With the attendant challenge of rapid population growth, comes the need to satisfy their various residential, commercial, circulation, industrial and recreational needs. In the last century, there has been a growing interest in the improving of the quality of urban living and that of the built environment.
In the western world, recreation is seen as a basic human need such as food, shelter and clothing. Provision has been made by various agencies or major players in the recreational land use allocation to meet the recreational need of the teeming masses but it is yet to be confirmed if the supply is sufficient.
To assess the adequacy of the existing parks and recreation supply, it is necessary to look at existing population, the supply of passive and active recreational land use provided by existing facilities including any planned improvements or expansions, and relate them to planning standards for desirable levels of service. In addition, it is necessary to consider forecasts in future.
On management of recreational park, there is no clear out management policy in practices for the parks management in the city. The policy owned parks are maintained by the government. Investigation revealed that some of the government owned park are directly managed by the ministry when the staff carryout regular maintenance. However, most of the recreational parks like tropicana resort etc. are concessions to contractor to manage on agree terms and fees, visit to the major public parks indicate lack of adequacy maintenance due to delay to release of funds and incompetence on the part of the contractors that obtained the contract as political patronage from the government in power.
Environmental challenges such as flood erosion in some of the Uyo recreational park is generally caused by reins. Other factors that cause flood include; the size of the land area from where rainfall is collected. The shape of this area it average slope along the main channel through which the rain water is led to the site, the rate of urbanization proper consideration of the parks, soil type, moisture content of soil land use and similar factors all contribute to the relative magrutude of floods in the city, catchment area or water studs that collects rain water to the drainage system are a great factors to be considered when assessing the effects of floods. Most flood problems in some of the recreational parks are associated with depression in the undulating plains.
The recreational park with most visitors are Ibom Tropicana centre recovering park, playground etc. this is because the environment lover will find romantic and the facilities are entertaining which are lacking in other parks thus making the inflow of visitors poor. Additionally the centre provides visitors with activities such as follows: Bike riding, Electronics games, Snookers etc. to immere themselves in. The assessment of the need of neighborhood and community facilities varies according to the purpose and use of the facilities. Community parks and play field are intended to function on a large scale basic serving the park and recreation needs.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to appraise the Recreation Facilities in Uyo Local Government Area. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To identify the location of recreational centers and facilities in Uyo Local Government Area;
- To determined the supply and demand of recreation facilities in the study area.
- To examine the major challenges faced by the study area;
- To proffer solution to the problem militating against recreational facilities availability in Uyo Local Government Area;
- To appraise the present state of recreational facilities in Uyo Local Government Area; and
- To examine the problems militating against the adequate and maximum utilization of recreational centres and facilities in Uyo Local Government Area.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What types of recreational centre and facilities are available in the study area?
- Do the recreational facilities supplied match the demand for them in Uyo Local Government Area?
- What is the present state of recreational facilities in Uyo Local Government Area?
- What are the problems militating against adequate and maximum utilization of recreational facilities in the study area?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There is no significant relationship between the demand and supply of recreational facilities in Uyo Local Government Area.
- H1: There is significant relationship between the demand and supply of recreational facilities in Uyo Local Government Area.
1.7 Significance of Study
The study will reveal the true nature of existing relationship between demand and supply made on recreation facilities. This study will help the planner identify the need gap in recreation supply and various challenges faced in the study area and thereby help in proffering solution to associated problems as it relates to recreation facility provision in the study area.
More so, the State Government as well as other decision makers in the sector of the state that deal directly or indirectly with recreation facility provision and management will benefit from the findings of this study. It will go a long way in guiding government on the best possible approach to solving the incessant lapses noticed in the recreational land use budgeting when population explosion and demand is involved and would further enhance the ability of government and its agencies at proffering faster and long lasting solution to the continued damage done to its facilities and services as a result of over-demand.
Lastly it will contribute to the ever growing literature, journals and articles on the subject that would become available particularly in the academia and to the general public at large.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Appraisal of Recreation Facilities in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. For the purpose of this study, the area of concentration is limited to some active and passive recreation facilities demand and supply in Uyo Local Government Area.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Study Area
1.10.1 Location and Area Coverage
Uyo Local Government Area lies between latitudes 40 59’- 50 05’ N and longitude 70 54’- 80 00’E. It covers a land area of 155, 856 square kilometers in the south – south geo-political zone of Nigeria. The territory is bounded by Nsit Ibom, Etinan, and Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Areas on the south Uruan, and Nsit Atai on the east, Itu and Ibiono Ibom on the north and Abak and Ibiono Ibom on the west (See Figure 1 below). The territory is centrally located as the administrative centre of Akwa Ibom State. It has a special radial road system which terminates at what is known as “Ibom Plaza”. The major roads, from this system spread through the main heart of the city giving rise to minor roads, streets and paths. The city is also characterized by low relief being within the coastal plain of Nigeria. The most prominent feature of physical landscape of Uyo is the ravine, which lies in the north eastern part of the town. The ravine contains small perennial streams. These are tributaries of Ikpa River which is the main water course in the vicinity of the town.
It is easily accessible from other locations. Due to the renewed government investment on roads, travel time has been considerably reduced. The road from Aba to Calabar on the northwestern flank of the Capital Territory further promotes the accessibility along the western region axis of the capital territory.
1.10.2 Climate
Uyo lies within the tropics and so enjoys a humid tropical type of climate and heavy rainfall, high temperature and high humidity. The area is characterized by two main seasons – the wet or rainy season, which usually begins in March and lasts till early November, the dry season which lasts from late November to February. The mean annual rainfall is about 215mm. The trend is for the monthly rainfall to run to a peak in July, a decrease in August (August break) and another peak in September, before it finally decreases to its lowest in December. Temperatures are uniformly high throughout the year. The mean annual temperature is 260 C. Relative Humidity, except for the short period of the dry season remains at an average of 70 to 80% throughout the year (Ekpenyong and Okoji, 1998). The city’s climate favours the growth of trees.
1.10.3 Population
Series of population statistics have been compiled at different periods in Uyo. In 1931, the population of Uyo was put at 743 people. Another population census was conducted and the population of Uyo was placed at 50,939 (1975), 52,213 (1976), and with an annual projection of 2.5% growth rate as follows: 62,020 (1983), 63,571(1984), 65,160 (1985), 66,789 (1986), 68,459 (1987), and 70,170 (1988). The sex ratio is placed at 104 females to 100 males (Ema, 1989). During the 1991 census conducted by the National Population Commission (NPC), Uyo had 244,762 people with 120,875 males and 123,887 females. The 2006 census figure of Uyo Local Government Area stood at 309,573 (NPC, 2006). Using the projection formula Pt = P0 (1 + r/100)n and projecting from 2006 into 2014 the total population yields 404519 at a growth rate of 3.5 percent (NPC, 2006).
1.10.4 Economic Activities
Uyo L.G.A is experiencing rapid economic transformation, much faster than the Nigeria average. The quality of life index has grown more than 30% in only four years. Greater emphasis is paid by government to provision of social and economic infrastructures, Urban and rural area have become complementary as government now provides adequate water, electricity, schools health facilities, community building and market stalls in rural areas.
Besides Uyo is blessed with several untapped mineral recourse, a potential that has lent itself to the industrialization drive of government. Government is determined to low the path of economic diversification, innovation, tourism and agricultural besides petroleum and confines to pay major role in entrepreneurial and industrial development to keep the economic in a perpetual stage of growth as well as increase the level of exploitation of natural recourse.
In the end, it is intention of government to build a capital intensive economy rather than a labour. Interface one, as well as a knowledge driven economy for global competiveness.
1.10.5 Culture
Uyo L.G.A as a people have unique but various traditions and culture, in mode of dressing the dominant attire of an Ibibio man is a loin-eloth “Unwanway Ofong Isin” and shirt with ita and staff to go with while the woman folds have a loin- clothe as well generally called “Ndot iba” with a piece of it on the head as head-tie with blouse to match. They are also blessed with delicacies such as White soup, “Afia Efere”, Afang soup, Edikang Ikong soup, Ubo Nkong, Efere Ibaba, Efere Mbukpap Uyo and a host of other, In the entertainment aspect, we have various dance and other cultural play like ‘Ebere’ for women “Asian Uboukpa” for young girls and also the “Akara” dance for woman.
The men have the “Ekpo” masquerade the “Akinkonkor Awade” for young boys. Among the young girls we also have the “Abang” dance for unmarried once the dance from which most young men pick their partners, the young men also have “Mbok” display a kind of traditional wrestling competition often displayed by young men before the elder and the cream of the society as a forum of assessing the strength, might and vigor of some youth for wars, leadership and fitness of a kings assignment and a process towards the marriage of a princess.
The people of uyo by way of worship predomininantly Christians. They belief in existence of one supreme being outside this, we still have the practice of traditional worshipping with their unique shrines for their various deities like Idiong, Ndem, Ibok etc some of such deities associated with each of the four clans the makeup uo L.G.A are “Efefia” of Ikono Clan, the “Afia Etoi” of Etoi clan “Udu Oku” of Oku clan and the “Ukana Offot” of Offot clan. Their belief is that, throught the are different they are messengers of supreme being that see to the peace stability and well being of the area.
